Most adults would say that they don’t believe in Santa. They would say that they are too old to believe in something like that. The funny thing is, the theology they hold to seems to say otherwise:

Prosperity gospel – God wants us to be healthy and wealthy and if we’re not, it’s our own fault. Either we lack faith or we’re not confessing the right things.

Social gospel – God left us an example in Jesus. This example was not about being holy and righteous. It wasn’t about being obedient. It was about doing everything we can to help and care for the less fortunate. We should give money, food, and other things to eradicate poverty, hunger, and other social ills. This was Jesus’ purpose for coming.

“Feel good” gospel – God is love. He loves us unconditionally. He is happy with us and we should feel the same way about ourselves. God is not judgmental, angry, or upset with “His children”. Sin isn’t talked about because that would imply we are wrong and God would judge us.

As I said above, many adults would say that they don’t believe in Santa, but what they teach/preach/listen to/believe seems to imply that Santa’s sitting in heaven. They make every effort to do good, not because it’s the result of salvation, but because they think it will help them get saved. They expect “good” things or “blessings” because they call themselves Christians, go to church, or even preach a “sermon” or “message” with scripture references. They treat God like Santa. They run to Him, “sit on His lap” (or “at his feet”) to ask for stuff and then run off and forget Him unless they don’t get what they asked for. They “believe” for things like God is sitting up in heaven waiting for them to be “good enough” or “have enough faith” to “receive” what they want.

I overheard someone say that God not only gives us our needs but our wants too. That was why Jesus changed the water into wine at the wedding of Cana…

It’s like they believe God’s entire existence revolves around them and their happiness. God seems to hang on their every word waiting for them to “confess” something so that He has the ability to act! I’ve heard “preaching” by well-known a prosperity preacher, Bill Winston, say that “the reason that Satan killed all the prophets was because they were saying things. ‘When the prophets spoke, God could act’” This is ridiculous! Not only that, but those who see God like this never seem to see anything but “good” like love, joy, peace, and “blessing”. They never see the “bad” things like judgment, justice, righteousness, and holiness. Even when someone makes “Santa God”’s “bad” list, they don’t get punished. They just get a little less blessed than others! They get a Toyota instead of a Mercedes, a three bedroom ranch instead of a mansion, and a middle-class $50K job instead of the “big money”.

While this is true, it’s not the main reason that Jesus came. Everything God does is for His glory!!! Yes, Jesus died for us. Yes, it was one of His purposes, but it was NOT the main one.

It seems that at the heart of everything most Christians do today is self. Everything that’s preached is all about what “God” can do for you. All the sermons by the “pastors” are focused on health, wealth, sex, relationships, and image. Sin, hell, judgment, and justice are taboo now because it might offend someone.

I’ve got a newsflash for those “Christians” who follow these warped and misleading theologies:

God is NOT some doddering old man who sits on a throne in heaven anxiously waiting for you to “ask in faith” for the materialistic, worldly, things you can do without. He is NOT “making a list and checking it twice”. His main focus is NOT to “bless you so you can bless others”. He does not need you to say something before He can act, nor does He need your permission. He is not surprised by anything that happens and is not powerless to work without us. He has NOT changed His mind about sin or how someone gets saved. He’s NOT our “buddy”, our “lover”, or our “divine butler”. He does NOT sit up in heaven trying to thing of ways to bless you.

The God of the Bible IS the Triune, eternal God who existed before time and will continue to exist for eternity. He IS the One who created everything and breathed millions of stars into existence. He IS the One whose voice shakes the mountains. His presence causes heaven and earth to flee from Him. He IS the judge of the living and the dead. He brought plagues on the nation of Egypt and wiped out their entire army with the Red Sea. He destroyed two priests because they offered unholy fire. He opened the earth and swallowed up Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their families because of their rebellion. He has raised up and brought low entire nations, including His chosen people. He IS the One who hates sin. It is His wrath that rests on those who live in disobedience and rebellion. He judged the entire world with a global flood and has promised a fiery judgment to come. No human being will ever fully comprehend Him and no other “god” (Allah, Brahman, Buddha) will ever compare to Him.

Do you see the stark contrast between the “god” of the modern church and the God of the Bible? If you follow the “modern God”, you are deceived and need to understand what God says about Himself and not what the “pastor” says. If you preach this “modern God”, you need to repent and you should be ashamed. God will not hold you guiltless for the people your misleading!

The modern church needs to stop focusing on what they want. They need to stop focusing on what the unsaved want. They need to start focusing on what God wants. As Christians, we need to be focused on glorifying God! God will provide for us. He will test us and bring us through trials for His glory. If we lose our jobs, loved ones, finances, or health, God knows and will do what will bring Him the most glory. This doesn’t mean we can’t grieve or rejoice. It doesn’t mean that things will always be tough or that God is “out to get us”, but it doesn’t mean that everything will be rosy either. It means that God will get the glory that He alone deserves.

God wills save people if they come to Him on His terms. He will provide as He sees necessary, whether we agree with it or understand it or not. God does love those who are His, but not to the point of overlooking sin. He hates sin and will judge those who have not repented of their sin and put their trust in Christ. God doesn’t mind us asking for things. It is when we demand or expect things from Him that we cross the line. So many Christians seem to have put themselves in a place above God. There isn’t a more dangerous place someone could be…

As Christmas draws near, instead of focusing on what you want or want you don’t have, focus on how you can use everything God has given you to glorify Him.

What is God’s name? Those who claim to follow Him seem to be forgetting what His name is. A retiring 71 year old Roman Catholic bishop, who has raised other issues that go against his church’s mainstream ideas, has said that Dutch Christians (and others) should be fine calling the God of the Bible Allah. He has suggested that this is whom Christians are actually praying to.

There are some major problems with this, but all of them seem to be ignored by the retiring bishop. The bishop says that “Allah is a beautiful word for God” and that “God doesn’t really care what we call Him”. Oh really? The God of the Bible doesn’t care what we call Him? God makes very clear throughout the Bible what those who follow Him are to call Him. Not only that, but God made sure that people not only knew His name but He let them know (and us too) who He was to them. He is called Elohim (used over 2300 times to refer to the Lord), El Olam (The Everlasting One, Gen. 21:33), El Roi (The God who sees me, Gen 16:7), and Adonai (The Lord). When Moses asked God what His name was at the burning bush, God replied, “I AM”. This is Yahweh in Hebrew (where we get Jehovah from). God also used this name to remind His people who He was. To Israel (and Christians) He is Yahweh Yireh (The Lord who provides, Gen 22:2), Yahweh Nissi (The Lord our banner, Ex 17:8-15), Yahweh Rapha (The Lord who heals you, Ex 15:26), Yahweh Shalom (The Lord our peace, Jdg 6:1-22), Yahweh Tsabbaoth (The Lord of Hosts, many references), and Yahweh Tsidkenu (The Lord our righteousness, Jer 23:5-6). Amazingly, not one of these names(and there are many others) sounds anything like Allah…. Continue Reading The name of God…